Insect repellents



P nted 1, Aug. 1 8, 1942;

INSECT REPELLENTS Philip Granett, New York, N. Y., assignor to National Carbon Company, Inc.,.a corporation of New York No Drawing. Original application June 4, 1938-,

Serial No. 211,820. Divided and this application August 23, 1940, Serial No. 353,958.

Canada March 4, 1937 8 Claims.

Preparations capable of repelling mosquitoes,

flies, gnats, fleas and other insect pests are genuinely valuable in the promotion of health and comfort. This invention is concerned with insect repellents, and its primary object is to provide compositions of improved effectivenessin repelling various insect pests, particularly mosquitoes.

I have found by test that insect repellent compositions of unusual efficacy can be made by employing as their essential ingredients, certain monoor di-alkyl, aryl or aralkyl ethers of ethylene and diethylene glycols, or similar monoethers of the monoacetates of these glycols. It is preferred to select a substance of this class which is relatively non-volatile, or which has a boiling point above about 175 C., and those substances which have but slight odor, or which possess not unpleasant odors are most desirable. In general. this class of compounds may be designated by the formula R1-O(C2H4O) nR2 wherein R1 may be an alkyl, aryl or aralkyl group, R2 may be hydrogen, an alkyl, aryl, aralkyl or acetyl group, and n is one or two. Specific compounds of this class which are useful in making the improved insect repellents are: diethylene glycol monobutyl ether, diethylene glycol monoethyl ether, ethylene glycol monobenzyl ether, ethylene glycol monophenyl ether, diethylene glycol monobenzyl ether, diethylene glycol monophenyl ether, ethylene glycol monoeugenyl ether (l-allyl 3-methoxy 4 hydroxy-ethoxy benzene), diethylene glycol diethyl ether, ethylene glycol dibenzyl ether, diethylene glycol butyl benzyl ether, and the acetates of any of the monoethers named above.

Insect repellent compositions containing this class of substances generally, and diethylene glycol monobutyl acetate, ethylene glycol monophenyl ether acetate and ethylene glycol monobenzyl ether specifically, are the subject of my copending application Serial No. 211,820, filed June 4, 1938, now Patent 2,213,156, dated August 2'7, 1940.

This application is specifically directed to insect repellent compositions containing ethylene glycol monophenyl ether, ethylene glycol monoeugenyl ether, diethylene glycol monobenzyl ether and diethylene glycol monophenyl ether;

and repellent compositions containing ethylene glycol di-benzyl ether, diethylene glycol butyl benzyl ether and diethylene glycol monobutyl ether are the subject of my copending application Serial No. 353,957, filed August 23, 1940.

The advantages realized by employing the above compounds as repellents include the provision of effective repellency against such insects as mosquitoes, house flies, stable flies, black flies and fleas with a minimum of discomfort to the user. The substances named areall relatively non-volatile liquids, and are therefore lasting repellents. Unlike many other repellents, notably essential oils such as citronella, these materials are almost odorless, and, if desired, suitable perfumes may be incorporated. Preparations containing these materials may be placed directly in contact with the skin or clothing since they have, in general, substantially no irritating effect upon the skin or deleterious action on fabrics. On sensitive skin, some of these compounds may cause a momentary smarting sensation, particularly if applied full strength. Also, artificial fiber may be softened, and some textile dyes dissolved, by excessive quantities of certain of these compounds, due to their solvent nature, unless they are diluted or incorporated with inert materials. Similarly, these compounds may have a cleansing effect on the skin, and they may tend to soften or dissolve paints and cosmetics with which the repellent comes in contact. These compounds are not greasy or oily in nature and they may be easily washed oil.

As a rule, it is desirable to incorporate small amounts of certain inert materials, such as vegetable or mineral oils, particularly corn oil, with the repellent because on a dry type of skin these repellents sometimes tend to form a dry white layer two or three hours after application. While this is in no way harmful, it is undesirable from the viewpoint of app arance.

Besides tests on mosquitoes, various tests have been made with these repellents against other insects. For example, in tests made in the Adirondacks, black flies (Simulidae spp.) were repelled from skin areas treated with a mixture containing 50% by volume diethylene glycol monobutyl ether acetate, 15% diethylene glycol monoethyl ether, 7% corn oil and 28% ethanol for periods ranging from one to two hours. These flies tend to crawl beneath clothing and then inflict their painful bites. This can be prevented to a large extent by placing the repellent around openings, such as those of the sleeves and collar.

The above mixture applied to armsand legs has prevented fleas from alighting and biting these parts when the user remained in-a space heavily infested with these insects. Previous to treatment at least ten to fifteen fleas could be seen crawling about on the legs at any one time.

During the test, fleas were continually present, several being visible on the untreated leg whenever it was examined. Protection against the fleas lasted for several hours.

Other biting files. such as stable flies (Stomoxus calcitrans) and strawberry or deer files (Chrysop spp.) have been repelled, but against such flies the period ofrepellency is generally shorter than against mosquitoes. Protection of from one-half to one hour has been obtained a these s ies. rl it bove mi r fure has also been tried for the protection of animals against insect pests. On dogs it has been effective in repelling fleas for 24 to 48 hours. On cattle, this mixture, containing an additional of diethylene glycol monobutyl ether acetate, incorporated in petroleum oil, has been found to repel house fiies (Musca domestica) and small biting files (Muscina) for a period of about 4 hours.

The compounds described are, on an average, from two to five times as effective repellents as oil of citronella, or from ten to fifteen times as effective as pine oil and the like. Some of the more preferred compounds, such as diethylene glycol butyl benzyl ether, ethylene glycol monobenzyl ether, ethylene glycol dibenzyl ether and diethylene glycol monobutyl ether acetate, have eil'ective repellencies ranging from five to more than twelve times that of citronella.

These compounds need not be applied full strength to the body, but may be diluted with inert materials or mixed with one another, or both. In general, dilution with inert materials reduces the eifective repellency of the compound, but in some cases moderate dilution actually renders the compound far more repellent than in the pure state. For example, the repellency of a mixture of equal parts of ethylene glycol monobenzyl ether and ethanol has only about onethird the repellency of the pure monobenzyl ether, but a mixture of equal parts of ethanol and diethylene glycol monophenyl ether has a repellency of several times that of the pure monophenyl ether. Further dilution, however, causes a very marked decrease in repellency.

nonvolatile (boiling points usually being above about 175 C.) some degree of volatility is necessary to keep the insects-particularly mosquitoes-away from treated parts. Furthermore, odors perceptible to man do not, in themselves,

seem to influence mosquitoes to any marked extent. For instance, the odor of citronella will persist long after its repellency has disappeared. Intensity of odor does not seem to affect the insects either, for certain of the butyl compounds have very strong odors yet are not good repellents.

The compounds described may be applied, as such, to surfaces from which it is desired to repel the insect pests. They may also be applied as ingredients of lotions compounded with volatile diluents, such as ethanol, or less volatile materials, such as glycerol. The repellents may be applied in combination with various oily carriers, including vegetable oils, such as castor oil and peanut oil, and certain mineral oils. Unguents or creams containing the repellents. as well as powders or carriers of like nature may be effectively used. In any of the difierent modes of application, it will be understood that mixtures or blends of the individual repellents may be employed.

My invention is not limited to the specific substances named, and it includes modifications within its scope as defined by the appended claims.

This application is a division of my copending application Serial No. 211,820, filed June 4, 1938, which, in turn, contains subject matter in common with my application Serial No. 68,191, filed March 11, 1936, with which it was copending.

I claim:

1. An insect repellent composition which contains a substantial proportion of an essential repellent ingredient of the group consisting of ethylene glycol monophenyl ether, ethylene glycol monoeugenyl ether, diethylene glycol monobenzyl ether and diethylene glycol monophenyl ether.

2. An insect repellent composition which contains ethylene glycol monophenyl ether as an essential repellent ingredient.

3. An insect repellent composition which contains diethylene glycol monobenzyl ether as an essential repellent ingredient.

4. An insect repellent composition which contains diethylene glycol monophenyl ether as an essential repellent ingredient.

5. An insect repellent composition which is composed of an inert diluent and an essential repellent ingredient of the group consisting of ethylene glycol monophenyl ether, ethylene glycol moneugenyl ether, diethylene glycol monobenzyl ether and diethylene glycol monophenyl ether. Although the better repellents are relatively 6. An insect repellent composition which is composed of an inert diluent and ethylene glycol monophenyl ether as an essential repellent ingredient.

7. An insect repellent composition which is composed of an inert diluent and diethylene glycol monobenzyl ether as an essential repellent ingredient.

8. An insect repellent composition which is composed of an inert diluent and diethylene glycol monophenyl ether as an essential repellent ingredient.

PHILIP GRANE'I'I. 

